September 14, 2021

Dornsife students Alexis Aguirre and Victoria Rodríguez Villarreal were interviewed for Drexel Now as part of the feature, 10 New Dragons Discuss Starting at Drexel This Fall.

A native of Tucson, Arizona, Aguirre is excited about "the changing seasons and living in a big city" and about starting school on campus.

"Although I still have concerns, I’m looking forward to beginning my college experience in-person and am especially grateful to be attending a school with both mask mandates and a COVID-19 vaccination requirement in place. Being able to engage in the experience of being at a great university in a great city is a gift."

"I’m proud of my peers who have, above all else, continued to act and live their lives in the best and safest possible way."

Rodríguez Villarreal is ready to take advantage of all the opportunities that Dornsife and Drexel offer.  "As a public health major, my ultimate goal is to gather all I have learned through the courses in order to impact this world and grow professionally and personally."

When asked to share a message with her classmates, Rodríguez Villarreal said, "We are an inspiring incoming freshmen class finishing our school with a pandemic that changed all of our lives, from changing our routine from one day to the next, perhaps losing someone we love dearly, and many more situations. However, this cannot shed us from the lesson we all got from this, to be always grateful for all we have, desire to be better, and understand that we can all be part of the change in our world."

The ten new undergrads talk about what excites them about the start of fall term, their bittersweet feelings about senior year in high school, and their hopes for Drexel's incoming class of 2021.

Read the complete interviews: 10 New Dragons Discuss Starting at Drexel This Fall

Learn more about undergraduate public health programs at Dornsife.